A New Tale By Hans Christian Andersen

Now to a writer whose exact words may not be remembered, but whose stories have come down through the ages. Scholars in Denmark believe they have found a new tale by Hans Christian Andersen. It's a short story called "The Tallow Candle."

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

A Danish newspaper says it was discovered in a storage box near Andersen's hometown. Experts believe he wrote it as a young teenager in the 1820s.

MONTAGNE: The story tells of a discarded candle covered in grime that has come to doubt its worth until it meets a tinder box that can see through to the candle's goodness and with a strike of its flame lights up the candle once more. Transcript provided by NPR, Copyright National Public Radio.